Knife construction



Aprii 1 1924.

w, CARMAN KNIFE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 14. 1923 IN V EN TOR IVILLMMCQEZWA N WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 1, 1924.

1,489,063 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GARMAN, 0F ELLEN VILLE, NEW YORK.

KNIFE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed July 14, 1923. Serial No. 651,566.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM CARMaN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Ellenville, in the county of Ulster and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Knife Construction, of whichthefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a knife construction, and particularly to thatclass wherein a single handle is employed to alternately receive andretain a different number of blades, such as knife blades, screwdrivers, gimlets, and the like.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of this class which ischeap, durable, simple and eficient.

Another object is to provide means whereby the blades may be readilyinserted into the handle or removed therefrom.

A further object is to provide means whereby the plate will beautomatically engaged when it is inserted into the handle and can bereleased therefrom when desired.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which Figure 1 is asection taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2:

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the knife with the plates in position; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The form of the invention shown in the drawings is a preferred form,although it is understood that modifications in the construction andarrangement of the parts and in the character of the materials used maybe adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the main frame of my tool handle, saidframe being substantially L-shaped. To this frame are attached rivetssuch as 2 and 3 by means of which side plates such as 4: and 5 arefastened on opposite sides of the frame. Secured to the plates at theirforward end is an auxiliary frame-piece 6 fastened to the plates bymeans of rivets 7 and 8. Another rivet 9 extends between the plates andrides in a slot 10 formed in the end of the frame member 1. The outerend of the frame member beyond the rivet 2 is free and, because of thecharacter of the material used, has a certain amount of springiness orflexibility. This flexibility permits variation in the width of thechannel or passageway 11 formed between the end of the main frame 1 andthe auxiliary framepiece 6. Through this passagewayor channel is adaptedto be inserted the shank 12 of a blade 13, although it will beunderstood that different forms of blades or tools may be used. Theinner end of the shank is provided with a lip 14 adapted to engage ashoulder on the rear of the end of the frame-piece 1.

In order to engage the outer flexible end of the frame-piece and move itas desired, I provide an operating member 15 pivoted on a rivet 16extending between the plates 2. This operating member is provided with alug or projecting portion 17 bearing against the outer end of theframe-piece 1 and is held normally in the position shown by reason ofthe resiliency of the framepiece. However, Whenever the operating memberis depressed, it will be observed that the projection 17 will force theouter end of the frame member downwardly to increase the width of thepassageway 11 so that the shank 12 of the blade 13 can be removed.

The rear end of the operating member is provided with a shoulder 18adapted to engage with a corresponding shoulder 18" on the rear upperend of the frame member 1 so that the operating member will not tend tobe forced further than the normal position shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen, therefore, that in this form of construction, which isan improvement over the construction shown in my Patent, No. 842,173,issued January 29, 1907, entitled Tlool-holder, there are a fewer numberof parts which yet, however, produce an equally efiicient result, sothat the knife can be made more cheaply and is much simpler inconstruction and operation, therefore, being less liable to get out oforder.

Cover plates 19 and 20 are adapted to be disposed on the outside of theplates 4 and 5 and may. of course,-be of any suitable and ornamentalmaterial, as is usually the case.

What I claim is 1. A knife construction. which includes a frame member,a pair of plates to which said frame member is riveted along one endthereof, the other end of said frame memher being flexible, an auxiliaryframe memher on said plates spaced from the flexible end of the mainframe member, and an operating handle pivoted between said plates andhaving a portion adapted to engage the flexible end of the main framemember to move it with respect to the auxiliary frame member.

2. A knife construction which includes a pair of spaced plates, a framemember riveted thereto but having one end free, said end being flexible,an auxiliary frame member connected between said plates and spaced fromthe flexible ends of the frame member to provide a passage therebetween,and an operating handle pivoted between said plates and having aprojection engag ing the flexible end of the main plate where-- by thepassageway between the main and auxiliary frame plates is increased whenthe operating member is depressed.

3. A knife construction which includes a pair of spaced plates, a framemember riveted thereto but having one end free, said end being flexible,an auxiliary frame member connected between said plates and spaced fromthe flexible ends of the frame member to provide a passage therebetween,an operating handle pivoted between said plates and having a projectionengaging the flexible end of the main plate whereby the passagewaybetween the main and auxiliary frame plates is increased when theoperating member is depressed, a shoulder on the rear end of the mainframe member, and a shoulder on the rear end of the operating member toengage and restrain the operating member in a normal position.

WILLIAM CARMAN.

